Moringa Challenge

An inquisitive chef like me is always looking for interesting new ingredients to add to my repertoire of healthy delicious tasting recipes. At my latest cooking demo appearance at the Seed: Positively Plant-Based event last month, I came across an ingredient I had never heard about. A plant native to the North of India (note to self: plan a trip to India soon) called Moringa, is currently sold in its dehydrated green powder form. Apparently, it is the cat’s meow in terms of nutrition including a high protein and antioxidant contents. It is sold by a company called Africrops, the plant is grown in Tanzania, Africa and takes an interest in letting most of the value added stay at the community where it is grown. Low and behold, I was hooked to see the possibilities of this new ingredient.

And how does it taste? Ah! Here is the challenge. As a start, I have been adding it to my lovely Sleepover Oats recipe, every morning. It does indeed have a very peculiarly spicy (in a kind of arugula or dried ginger sort of way) taste. It comes front and center of any fresh fruit and oats and seasonings I have in the overnight oats and I recognize that its sharpness may not be for everyone in the morning. I have also been playing adding some of it in a version of my no-oil hummus (see picture). A little seems to go a long way both in terms of flavor and appearance. More calibration is needed—again, the Moringa came out strongly in the mix of flavors—but the challenge is on, and most likely you will be hearing more about it in the future as I test and try for new options. Who knows? I may end up setting up cooking classes to introduce this ingredient to many more curious and inquisitive minds with a healthy bent like me. Stay tuned…

Want to win some Moringa for yourself? You’re in luck because courtesy of Africrops I’m giving some away. Head to my FACEBOOK page to answer a question in order to win!

About Chef Juan Pablo

You don't have to be wealthy to eat healthy! That's the lesson I taught as a Wellness Chef for Whole Foods Market, and working in the private kitchens of some of New York's most celebrated families. Now I bring that same recipe for health to you in an easy, accessible, fun way that can change your life. It did mine!